Nearly 175 firms gathered on August 1 to hear details on how to provide design services for the new Virginia Tech Innovation Campus being build near Amazon’ssecond HQ in Northern Virginia.

Construction of the #VTInnovationCampus took an important step forward yesterday, as representatives from about 175 firms came together to hear details related to a public RFP to provide design services for the 300,000-square-foot academic building. 🙌 🤩https://t.co/65KxixhuAB

In June, the university released inital plans for its Innovation Campus that will be located in Alexandria, Va., and will be part of a 65-acre, mixed-use district planned and developed by Lionstone and real estate investment firm JBG SMITH. Virginia Tech issued a public request for proposals (RFP) on July 11 to attract firms to provide full design service for the campus’ first academic building.

The university hosted the August 1 meeting to provide details about the campus. The gathering attracted 232 individuals representing 175 companies interested in securing parts of the design contract from architectural firms and engineers to furniture vendors and a few contractors, a press release states.

“The standing-room-only crowd today illustrates the engagement and excitement about this project,” Sherwood Wilson, Virginia Tech’s VP for operations, said in a press release. “We look forward to reviewing the proposals and finding the right partners to help us carry out a transformational vision.”

The new campus, expected to be completed by 2024, will triple Virginia Tech’s NoVa footprint. The school said about 60,000 of its alumni reside in the area. Written proposals for design services are due August 13, and Virginia Tech said in a press release that it expects to award the design contract late this year.

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As Technical.ly DC previously reported, the first 100 students will enroll in master’s degree programs at Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus next year, with plans to enroll 750 master’s degree candidates and train hundreds of doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows when the campus is completed.